Self-service store



M. R. HUTCHISON SELF SERVICE STQRE Filed June ,9, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES INV;IV/T0R S Y .1? .1704 6 213011 zw w y ATTORNEYS Deco n 1923. mwmgz M. R HUTQHESON SELF SERVICE STORE Filed June- 9. 1922 2 SMQKS SIIQGT, 2

r B l/ 5/ ATTORFJEVS Patented Dec. ill,

UNHTEED tanner P ATENT @FFHQCE MILLER REESE HUTCHESON, F GRANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSZGNOR T0 HUTCHISON THRIFT CQRPORATION, OF NEW YQRK, It. 121, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SELF-SERVICE STORE.

Application filed June 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, MILLER Rnnsn HUrcnIsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jerseg, have invented a new and improved belt-Service Store, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description.

This invention relates to self-service stores for the merchandising of commodities of different kinds, and has reference more particularly to a store of this character which has facilities for the display and vending of groceries and the like, and per- 1 ishable provisions, such as meats, fruits and vegetables. The invention also relates to a self-service store in which is provided a refrigerator capable of the complete refrigeration of certain commodities and of the ac partial refrigeration of other commodities. The invention relates to a store of this kind in which the customers can readily select and serve themselves with the various commodities on display for sale, in which difierent kinds of commodities, such as groceries, meats and other perishable provisions, can be readily handled, and in which the progress of the customer through the store is in every way facilitated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator for use in a store of this kind which afi'ords means for the complete and the partial refrigeration of different commodities in accordance-with the necessities thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

lin the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, partly broken away, of a self-service store constituting an embodiment of my inven' tion;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is an enlarged end view showing one of the carriers used in my self-service store; and

Figure t is a side elevation of the. carrier.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be understood that while my se'iteervice store 1922. Serial No. 567,179.

may be used for the merchandising of many di erent kinds of commodities it is particularly adapted for use as a combined gro-' cery and meat or butcher shop. While it may be usefully employed as annit of a so-called chain-store system, it may be also employed as an individual or single store. In establishments of this kind it is highly desirable that the customer may freely enter the store and as freely leave the same, and that the entering and leaving streamsof individuals be so directed as to minimize confusion and delay. I prefer to use for this purpose portal or entrance door mechanisms such as I have shown in my copending application for Letters Patent of the United States filed May 22, 1922, Serial No. 562,648. ll likewise prefer to employ for the main doorway of the store my insect proof portal construction, such as dis closed in my copending application for Letters Patent of the United States filed May 26, 1922, Serial No. 563,929. However, as far as these details of construction and others are concerned, any like or other mechanism adapted for the purpose may be employed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

in establishments of this kind the merchandise is arran ed openly or displayed in suitable merchan ise holders or containers,

such as shelves, bin or the like, so that the entering customer passes through the store and selects from these merchandise holders the goods which he or she desires to purchase. On leaving the store the purchase is checked up and wrapped if necessary and then payment is made. In the present form of my store, ll employ a track and carrier system to assist the customer in transporting the selected merchandise. I prefer to usethe track a d carrier system such as that disclosed in my copending' application for Letters Patent of the United States filed January 23, 1923, Serial No. 614,469. Any other such devices ada ted for the purpose may, however, be use I also prefer to use in the self-service store herein disclosed mechanism for controlling certain gates and barriers so that the same may be rendered inoperative in case of emergency or when otherwise desired. l havedisclosed controlling mechanism of this kind in my copending application for Letters Patent of the United States filed June 15, 1922, Serial No. 568,536 but any other apparatus suitable for this use may, of course, be employed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, my self-service store is located in any building or suitable construction and, preferably, of elongated form, having side walls 11, a rear wall 12, and the customary store front 13. The store front is provided with an entrance 14: which may be located at any desired part of the front, for example, as shown in the present instance, at the right-hand side. The front also is provided with the usual show window 15. provide a vestibule 16 leading into alobby or foyer 17. The lobby has a portal leading into the salesroom 19, and passage through the portal is controlled by a suitable mechanism, such as a pair of turnstiles 18. The lobby is divided from the salesroom 19 of the store by a partition or rail 20 and a counter 21 extending transversely with respect to the rail 20. At the rear the salesroom 19 is separated from the storeroom 22 by walls orp-artitions 23. The walls are spaced or staggered for a purpose which will appear hereinafter, and one of them has a door 24: connecting the salesroom and the storeroom.

Arranged within the salesroom and extending transversely thereof is a checking counter 25 parallel to the counter 21 and rearwardly spaced therefrom. At the end of the checking counter adjacent the portal, I provide a forwardly extending rail 26 terminating near the turnstiles and serving to prevent a customer entering, as indicated by one arrow, from passing to the left in front of the counter 25. Asecond counter 28 is located within the salesroom parallel to the counter 25 and rearwardly spaced therefrom. Swinging gates 29 are hung at the ends of the counter 25 and extend to thecounter 28, serving to prevent customers entering between these two counters. bench or settee 27 is located in the lobby 17 for the use of customers who may be desirous of waiting or resting.

Positioned within the salesroom and extendin longitudinally thereof are two paralle merchandise holders 30. These may consist of cabinets, shelves, bins or any other suitable devices for the purpose. They may be two or more in number and each at its ends is spaced respectively from the rear of the store and from the counter 28, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. Positioned at the rear ends of the merchandise holders 30 are gates or barriers 31 of any suitable construction mounted to slide vertically in guides provided for the purpose. These gates w on in normal position are lowered as shown in Fig. 2 and prevent the passage of customers around the rear ends 0 merchandise holders 30. Between the merchandise holders 30 is arranged an additional Or auxiliary merchandise holder 32,

likewise consisting of shelves, bins, cabinets or similar structures. Extending along the side walls of the building are shelves, cabinets, bins, or the like, 33 constituting merchandise holders of any suitable type. last mentioned merchandise holder 33 extend respectively from the rear walls 23 towards the front of the snlesroom. An additional merchandise holder 31 is arranged at the front of the store extending across one of the show windows 15. Positioned rearwardly of the merchandise holder 34 is a display cabinet or counter 36 adapted for the rcccption of fruit, vegetables and the like. This cabinet or counter has associated with. it, and preferably centrally disposed thereon, a fountain 37. The merchandise holder 3a is likewise intended principally for the display of perishable commodities, such as fruit or vegetables, and the display may be artistically arranged to attract the attention of passers-by.

A gate or barrier 38 similar to the like device 31 is positioned between the forward end of the merchandise holder 32 and the counter 28.

Located within the storeroom 22 are suitable shelves or the like 35 adapted for the storage of merchandise to replace that in the salcsroom as it is consumed.

I provide a refrigerator-'39 atthe rear of the store and positioned so that it extends between the partitions or walls 23 contacting with the inner ends of both of these walls, as is shown in Fig. 1. At the front of the refrigerator is a U-shaped counter 40 one end of which abuts against the refrigerator and the other end of which is spaced from the refrigerator, a swinging section 41 being ]')I0\'l(l(l to enable the attendants to enter within the cohnter when so desired. The refrigerator has a main section 42 for the reception of meats and the like. The section 42 of the refrigerator has the usual door 43 which is positioned within the confines of the counter 40. At one side the refrigerator has a plurality of compartments 44 each having a door 15 and designed to receive commodities such as require semirefrigeration, for example, fruits, vegetables, milkand butter. Located within the counter 40, which is intended particularly for the merchandising of meats, are the usual meat blocks 46. The wing of the counter 40 adjacent to the swinging section 41 is upwardly extendedto. form a merchandise holder 30 similar to the merchandise holders 30.

I provide a track or carrier system constructed for use in connection with my store, which as aforesaid is similar to that dis closed in my copending ap lication for Lettel-s Patent of the United tates filed January 23, 1923, Serial No. 614,469. This systern includes a monorail 47 mounted in any suitable manner upon the various supports thereof, such as the merchandise holders and the walls 23. The monorail extends from a point near the forward end of the merchan disc holder 33 at the entrance side of the salesroom, along the length thereof, across the door 24, along the length of the merchandise holder 30, along both sides of the adjacent merchandise holder 30, along the length ofthe central section of the counter ll), along both sides of the other merchandise holder 30, along the length of the remaining wing of the counter 40, then across the refrigerator sections or compartments 41, along the remaining partition or wall 23, and finally along the length of the remaining merchandise holder to the forward end thereof. The monorail may be of any suitable construction and consists, for ex; ample, of a fiat bar rail 48 screwed, nailed or otherwise attached to its supports. Cooperating With the monorail and mounted upon the supports under and parallel with the monorial is a guide rail 49 for a purpose which will be brought out hereinafter.

The carriers used in connection with my track system may be of any suitable type or construction. I prefer, however, to use carriers such as are shown in Figs. 3 and 4: consisting of elongated, substantially rectangular baskets 50 of reticulate or other material. Each basket has a substantially central transverse bail or handle 51 by means of which the basket .may be readily carried by the customer. The downwardly extending sides of the handle are secured to the corres onding sides of the basket in any suitab e manner; Rotatably mounted at one side of the handle of each basket by means of a stub-axle 52 is a grooved wheel 53 connected to rest and roll noon the monorail 41. Each basket at the side corresponding to the grooved wheel 53 has a longitudinal wear strip 54 which contacts with the guide rail 49 when the carrier is supported by and travels upon the rail 18. The strip 54 prevents undue wear of the carrier when it is in use and is pressed against the rail 48 by the weight of the articles therein.

It will be noted that where the monorail passes the door 24 and the barriers 31, it is provided with movable sections 55 so that the door and the gates or barriers may be operated when necessary. The movable sections 55 are respectively secured to the door 24 and are mounted on supports 56 projecting from the gates 31, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. In connection with the track and carrier device. ll employ a returning mechanism 57. such as is shown as aforesaid in my co-pending application for Let ters Patent of the United States tiled Janury -73 1923, Serial No. 614,489. This mechanism serves to return the carriers left by the departing customers at the .counter 25 to a carrier holder 58 located near the entrance to 'the sales room. I also employ in the present form of my self-service store. suitable means for simultaneously operating and controlling the gates or barriers 31 and the portal-control mechanism, including the turnstiles 18. The means may be, for

example, such as those disclosed in my afore- This ice chamber is preferably filled from the storeroom 29- through a door 4:5 provided for the purpose.

It-will he understood that the customers enter the salesroom of the store through the turnstile 18, as indicated by the in-going arrow. As the customer enters he or she takes a carrier from the holder 58 and places it upon a monorail, passes through the salesroom in accordance with the path predetermined for the customer bythe track and carrier system. If the customer desires to purchase meat, he stops at the main part of the counter 40 and gives his order. He then continues his travel until he reaches the section 40 of the counter where his purchase of meat, which has been prepared and wrapped,'is handed to him. Customers can serve themselves, it will be seen, from the compartments 44 of the refrigerator in which may be stored more or less perishable commodities which, however, do not need to be served by an attendant as is the case with the meats. The customer then passes to the end of the monorail and removes the carrier, which is taken to the checking counter 25. are checked up and wrapped, if necessary, and the customer then makes payment at the cashiers desk 61, thereupon leaving the salesroom through the turnstile 18.

I claim:

1. In a self-service store. a. plurality of articles of store furniture therein including a refrigerator having a major compartment for storing perishable commodities and also having a. plurality of minor compartments for similar commodities. and arranged in horizontally spaced relation relative to each other, and to said major compartment, said refrigerator having an ice chamber serving all of said cmnpartments, a counter adjacent to but spaced from one of said compartments, and a plurality of merchandise holders arranged within the store and in relation to Here the purchases the counter to form a passage-way for guiding a customer in a continuous path througli the store and past said counter and past the compartments other than the compartment 6 adjacent to said counter.

2. The self-service store defined inelaim 1, wherein said store includes track and carrier mechanism including track elements arranged in mutual prolongation and severally carried by the various articles of store furnilure to establish suhstantialy a continuous track defining said path and for supportin; a merchandise carrier movable along said track with the customer.

MILLER REESE HUT UNISON. 

